The top entertainment magazines were easily the strongest syndicated performers in the week ending Jan. 19 thanks in part to extensive coverage of the Golden Globe Awards. In fact, the big five either equaled or outperformed their season highs.
Leader CBS Television Distribution's Entertainment Tonight held steady at its season high 4.0 rating for a second straight week and gained 3% from last year.
Warner Bros.' TMZ added 11% to a new season high 2.1 and was flat compared to last year.
NBCUniversal's Access Hollywood held firm at its season high 1.9 and was even with last year. In addition, the show saw its ratings rise 11% to a 2.1 on Jan. 13 with its next-day Golden Globe coverage. Warner Bros.' Extra maintained its season high 1.8, which it first hit last week, and increased 6% from last year, while CTD's The Insider rose 7% to a 1.6, matching its season high, and shot up 14% from last year—the most of any magazine. Insider also saw a 13% post Golden Globe surge to a 1.7 on the Monday following the awards show.
CTD's Inside Edition, which is not strictly entertainment, was the only top-tier magazine to lose ground, falling 3% week-to-week to a 3.1 and dropping 6% from last year at this time.
Rounding out the field, MGM's RightThisMinute slid 8% to a 1.2. Twentieth's sophomore Dish Nation added 11% to a 1.0, while Trifecta's America Now and Trifecta's recently renewed OK! TV were both flat at 0.4 and 0.3, respectively.
Elsewhere in access, game shows were dull.
CTD's Wheel of Fortune slipped 5% from the week before to a 7.6. CTD's Jeopardy! tumbled 7% to a 6.8. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud finished 2% lower at a 5.7, while Disney/ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire skidded 8% to a 2.2.
In the closely watched daytime talk show sector, declining PUT levels and large market preemptions made it difficult for most shows to advance. Only three of the 18 talkers were up from the week before.
NBCU's Steve Wilkos leaped 14% to a new season high 1.6, tying Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams, which was up 7% to a 1.6. And the season's top newcomer, Sony Pictures Television's recently renewed Queen Latifah, climbed 9% to a 1.2, its best rating since the week of Sept. 30, and rose 33% among women 25-54 to a 0.8 in the demo.
CTD's Dr. Phil returned to its winning ways, topping the talkers for the 21st time in the last 24 weeks with a 3.2, which was off 6% from the prior week but steady compared to last year.
Disney/ABC's Live With Kelly and Michael slipped 12% to a second place 3.0 but still advanced 11% from last year. Warner Bros.' Ellen eroded 6% to a third place 2.9. SPT's Dr. Oz gave back 12% after a monster 44% increase in the previous frame, settling at a 2.3. NBCU's Maury dipped 5% to a 2.1. NBCU's Steve Harvey eased 5% from its all-time high in the prior week to a 1.9 and increased 19% from last year, which was more than any other talk show.
Disney/ABC's Katie, which will end its run this season, faded 15% to a 1.7 and slumped 11% from last year. CTD's Rachael Ray receded 12% from its season high to a 1.5. NBCU's Jerry Springer stayed at its season high 1.4 for a second week. CTD's The Doctors dipped 7% to a 1.3. NBCU's Trisha was unchanged at her season high 0.6, while Meredtih's The Better Show was flat at a 0.2.
Warner Bros.' rookie Bethenny, which was preempted in some markets, yielded 11% to a 0.8 but was still No. 1 in her time period in both New York and Los Angeles among women 25-54. Further back, CTD's The Test was marked down 14% to a 0.6, while in late-night CTD's Arsenio Hall held steady at a 0.7.
In the metered markets, CTD's Serch successfully completed its three week test on eight Tribune stations, averaging a 0.9 rating/3 share share in households, which was equal to the mid-January metered market average of veteran conflict shows Steve Wilkos, Bill Cunningham, Jerry Springer and Trisha. Serch also showed gains over year ago time periods of 40% in Philadelphia and 133% in San Diego and among women 18-34 improved by 350% in Los Angeles over what veteran Maury averaged in the same timeslot last year.
In court, CTD's Judge Judy took a breather after hitting a 14-year high in the prior session and backtracked 6% to a 7.5, which was still up 1% from last year at this time. In second place, Warner Bros.' People's Court dropped 5% and landed at a 1.9. Twentieth's Divorce Court, Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis and Twentieth's soon-to-be canceled Judge Alex all fell 6% to a 1.6. Trailing the field was recently renewed MGM rookie Paternity Court, which ticked up 10% to a 1.1.
In off-net syndication, Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory led the sitcoms but sagged 8% from the week before to a 6.1. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men and Twentieth's Family Guy were unchanged at 4.1 and 3.5, respectively. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother moved 5% lower to a 2.1. Warner Bros.' Friends and SPT's Seinfeld both stayed at a 1.9 and Twentieth's King of the Hill was flat at a 1.7.
Among the new sitcoms, Twentieth's Modern Family continued to lead with an unchanged 4.9.
